Removable roll apparatus for rolling the edges of strip metal

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for rounding the edge of an elongated strip of metal, e.g., aluminum. The edge is rounded by rolling and cleaning techniques. Edge forming rolls rotate on vertical axes and have round grooves which receive an edge of the strip. Edge thickness control rolls overlap the edges of the strip and engage the marginal flat surfaces thereof. The edge thickness control rolls are mounted on caster supports so that their axes of rotation tend to assume directions at right angles to the motion of the strip. Both the edge forming rolls and the edge thickness control rolls are rotated only by their contact with the moving strip. Rolls are readily demountable. Supports allow rolls to follow lateral movements of strip without stressing it.

United States [72] Inventors Lucas .1. Conrad;

John R. lEverhoi-t, lboth 011 Winston-Salem, NC. [21] Appl. No. 870,75322 Filed Aug. 2a, 1969 Division 01 Ser. No. 632,7511, Apr. 21, 1967,Pat. No. 3,479,852. [45] Patented Aug. 31, 119711 [73] Assignee ArcherProducts, incorporated Winston-Salem, NC.

{54] IRLMUVABLE NULL APPARATUS FOR RULLKNG THE EDGES 01* STMIP METAL 2Claims, 5 Drawing ll igs.

[52] 11.5. C1 72/40, 72/199, 72/238 [51] int. (:1 1821b /1111, B21b31/118 Field 01 Search 29/18; 72/40, 199, 225, 234, 241, 242, 243, 246,238

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 252,460 1/1882 Harris72/225 COMPRESSED 1,614,422 1/1927 Coe 72/242 1,808,752 6/1931Banner.... 72/225 3,400.566 9/1968 Gauer 72/199 FOREIGN PATENTS 782,7964/1968 Canada 72/241 1,454,979 11/1965 France 72/246 PrimaryExaminer-Charles W. Lanham Assistant ExaminerE. M. Combs AttorneysRobertS. Dunham, R. J. Dearborn, P. E.

l-lenninger; Lester W. Clark, John A. Harvey, Thomas F. Moran and GeraldW. Griffin ABSTRACT: Apparatus for rounding the edge of an elongatedstrip of metal, e.g., aluminum. The edge is rounded by rolling andcleaning techniques. Edge forming rolls rotate on vertical axes and haveround grooves which receive an edge of the strip. Edge thickness controlrolls overlap the edges of the strip and engage the marginal flatsurfaces thereof. The edge thickness control rolls are mounted on castersupports so that their axes of rotation tend to assume directions atright angles to the motion of the strip. Both the edge forming rolls andthe edge thickness control rolls are rotated only by their contact withthe moving strip. Rolls are readily demountable. Supports allow rolls tofollow lateral movements of strip without stressing it.

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BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is particularly useful forrounding the edges of flat strips or foils of aluminum which areintended to be used as electrical windings or capacitors. Such strips orfoils are commonly first manufactured by cutting or slitting a widerstrip or sheet, and have sharp corners at their edges resulting from thecutting or slitting operation. They may also have occasional slivers orsmall particles clinging to their edges.

The strip is either interleaved with an insulating material such aspaper, or the strip may be coated with an insulating material before itis wound into a coil. A clean, smoothly contoured edge is required toprevent puncture of the insulation by burrs, slivers, etc., to maintainpurity of cooling and/or insulating fluid where a fluid cooled windingis used, and to attenuate corona discharge. In those cases where aliquid insulating coating is applied, a smooth curved surfacefacilitates a more uniform coating, since if the strip has a sharpcorner, the surface tension of the liquid film will reduce the thicknessof the coating at that corner.

The prior art teaches the use of edge-forming rolls having roundedgroove engaging the edge of a strip of metal and effective to produce around contour on the strip. Such rolls, if employed according to theteachings of the prior art, are effective to form the edges, but have atendency to produce ridges in the flat surfaces of a strip at a pointadjacent the edges. Furthermore, the prior art edge-forming rolls have'a tendency to squeeze the strip laterally, thereby causing it to bucklein the middle. While this is not important in dealing with strips ofsubstantial thickness and materials of substantial strength, e.g.,steel, it presents difficulties when dealing with weaker metals such asaluminum.

Another feature of the invention is the mounting of the edge-formingrolls so that they are urged against the edges of the strip only underlight pressure, and so that if the strip moves laterally a shortdistance the edge-forming rolls move with it without substantial changein the force applied to the strip by the edge-forming rolls. This forceis determined by a parallelogram linkage including pneumatic motors intwo of the links, which motors determine the forces applied to the stripby the edge-forming rolls. Each pair of opposed edge forming rolls isassociated with a pair of antibuckle rolls which effectively preventsthe force applied by the edge-forming rolls from buckling the strip inthe middle.

The edge-forming rolls, the antibuckle rolls and their supports are soconstructed that they can be readily removed and replaced. FUrthermorewhen a strip is fed into the apparatus, its leading edge isself-threading both through the edge-forming rolls and the edgethickness control rolls.

A wire doctor blade is provided for each edge-forming roll, for thepurpose of cleaning slivers, oxide deposits and the like from the bottomof the edge-forming grooves in the roll.

FIG. I is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation showing theedge-forming rolls and antibuckle rolls;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2 A complete edge-formingroll assembly is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The edge-forming rollassembly comprises four edge-forming rolls 66. One pair ofedgeformingrolls is located on each side of the strip 3. TI-I'e rolls of each pairare spaced apart along the direction of movement of the strip.Furthermore, each pair is directly opposite the pair of edge formingrolls on the other side of the strip. Each edge-forming roll is providedwith a central groove 65a, which is contoured to produce a desiredcontour on the edge of the strip 3.

In the edge-rolling apparatus of the prior art, the successiveedge-forming rolls encountered by the strip are commonly givenprogressively varying contours, so that the first edgeforming rollencountered by the strip has a contour only slightly different from thatof the square-cornered strip which approaches it, while the contour ofthe last edge-forming roll is that of the final edge desired. Inapparatus constructed according to the present invention, it ispreferred to give all the rolls 65 the same contour, i.e., all thegrooves 65a will have the contour of the final desired edge. If thegrooves are so contoured, then the edge will enter the groove of thefirst roll less deeply and the grooves of the subsequent rolls moredeeply,

and will fully engage the bottom of the last groove. The varying depthof penetration of the edge into the groove is accommodated by theyieldable mounting of the rolls, as described more fully below.

Between each set of laterally opposed edge-forming rolls, there aremounted a pair of antibuckle rolls 66, one above and one below thestrip. The antibuckle rolls 66 are provided with projecting hubs 66a attheir ends. The entire assembly including four edge-forming rolls 65 andfour antibuckle rolls 66 is mounted onto columns 67 located on oppositesides of the strip.

The bottom of each column is provided with a foot 68 and rests upon anair bearing. Each column 67 is provided with a groove to receive a splitring 67a on which rests a horizontal beam 69 extending along the path ofmovement of the strip 3. A tubular spacer 70 encircles the column 67above the beam 69 and rests on the beam. Another beam 69 rests on thetop of the spacer 70. The beam 69 have recesses 69a on their innerfaces, near their ends. Each roll 65 is force fitted on the outer raceof a roller bearing 65b, whose inner race is fixed on the ends of thearbors 65c. The ends of the arbors 650 are received in the recesses 69a,and are retained there by spring-loaded ball detents 69b.

The columns 67 are interconnected near their lower end by a horizontaltransverse link 71, best seen in FIG. ll, and including a pair of rods72 and 73 slidably received in apertures in the columns 67. At the innerend of the rod '72 is mounted a yoke 74 carrying a pivot pin 75 to whichis attached the piston rod of a pneumatic cylinder 76. The other end ofcylinder 76 is attached to another pivot pin 77 extending at rightangles to the pivot pin 75 and carried by a yoke 78 fixed on the innerend of the rod 73. It may be seen that the yokes 74 and 78 and the pivotpins 75 and 77 provide a universal joint connection between the rods 72and 73, accommodating any misalignment which may occur between thoserods.

The upper ends of the columns 67 are connected by another transversehorizontal link 71, whose components are exactly the same as those ofthe lower link 71 just described, except that the upper link 71 isrotated through an angle of about a central vertical axis, so that theleft end of the upper link is the same as the right end of the lowerlink, and vice versa. Further description of the upper link it isconsidered unnecessary. MOvement of the rods 73 with respect to thecolumns 67 is limited by a fixed pin 79. The position of the rods 72with respect to their associated columns 67 is determined by pins 79 and80, any of which may be inserted in any one of a number of holes on therod 72 or 73 to vary the maximum spacing between the columns 67, whichmay be necessary to accommodate strips 3 of different widths.

The columns 67, the transverse linlrs 72, and their connections providea parallelogram linkage supporting the edgeforming rolls 65. THe forceacting on the edges of the strip through the edge-forming rolls 65 isdetermined by the pressure of the air supplied to the pneumatic motors76, and may be regulated as desired. It may be observed that theparallelogram linkage allows separation of the columns 67 which may berequired on account of minor variations in the width of the strip. Ifsuch variations occur, the strip can readily push the columns 67 apartto the limits determined only by the strokes of the pistons in thecylinders 76. Furthermore, because of the nature of the pneumaticcylinders 76, the force which they exert is not dependent upon theirposition. In other words, the same force is exerted on the edges of thestrip when the cylindersare pushed apart, as when they are together, aslong as the limits of travel of the pistons within the cylinders is notexceeded. The expected variation in the width of the strip is only afraction of an inch, which is much less than the stroke of the pistonsemployed.

The lower antibuckle roll 66 has its hubs supported by engagement withfour backup rolls 81, each of which is rotatable on an antifrictionbearing carried by an arbor 82 extending between a pair of beams 83. Thebeams 83 extend longitudinally of the path of strip movement and providesupports for backup rolls 81 for both of the antibuckle rolls locatedunder the strip 3. The beams 83 are pivotally mounted at their center ona transverse rod 84 which extends entirely across the rolling stationfrom one side to the other and projects through and beyond the columns67.

The upper antibuckle rolls 66 are supported by engagement with the stripand hence by the lower antibuckle rolls 66 located immediately belowthem on the opposite side of the strip. The upper antibuckle rolls areretained in position by backup rolls 85 which engage their hubs 66a.Each roll 85 turns on an antifriction bearing carried by an arbor 86having its ends fixed in a pair of parallel beams 87. The beams 87 arepivotally mounted on a transverse rod 88 which extends transversely ofthe path of strip movement and through and beyond the columns 67,similar to the rod 84. r

The ends of the rods 8 and 84 are yieldably connected by a springmechanism 89 best seen in FIG. 3. As shown in that figure, the lower rod84 extends through a vertically elongated slot in a link 95 having anupwardly extending projection 95a of considerably smaller diameter. Asleeve 90 encircles the projection 95a and is provided at its upper endwith a vertically elongated slot to receive the upper transverse rod 88.A knurled collar 91 is threaded on the outside of the sleeve 90 near itslower end. Another collar 92 encircles the sleeve 90 near its upper end,and is connected by a pin 93 to the upper end of the projection 95a.Tl-le pin 93 extends through slots in the sleeve 90, so that is is freeto move vertically with respect to that sleeve. A coil spring 94 isretained in compression between collars 91 and 92 It may be seen thatthe coil spring 94 forces the collars 91 and 92 apart and therebyensures that the lower end of the slot in the link 95 engages rod 84 andthat the upper end of the slot in the sleeve 90 engages rod 88. Thespring 94 thus exerts a force tending to bias the two rods 84 and 88toward each other, and thereby determines the amount of squeezing forceapplied by the rolls 66 to the moving strip. This force may be adjustedby rotating the knurled collar 91.

The lower rod 84 is mounted on a piston 96 (FIG. 4) supported by aspring 96a located in a recess at the center of the column 67. Thus, thewhole assembly, including the rods 84 and 88, backup rolls 81 and 85,and antibuckle rolls 66, if floating in that it is spring supported andhence does not exert any downward force on the strip 3.

Alternatively, instead of the springs 96a, pneumatic pressure may beapplied under the piston 96 to counterbalance the weight of theantibuckle rolls 66 and their supporting structure.

Springs 94 control the squeezing or pinching force which the upper andlower rolls 66 exert against the strip 3.

On the rod 88, there are provided spacer sleeves 101 (FIG. between eachof the outer beams 87 and the adjacent column 67. Another set of spacersleeves 97 is provided on the rod 88 between the columns 67 and thespring assemblies 89. Similar spacer sleeves 101 and 97 are provided onthe rod 84.

The parts of the spring assembly 89 at the right-hand side of FIG. 1 areshown as being reversed from the parts of the corresponding assembly 89at the left-hand side of FIG. 1. In particular, the knurled collar 91 isbelow the spring 94 at the lefthand side and is above the spring 94 atthe right-hand side. The particular orientation of these assemblies 89is not critical. Either end of either assembly may be the upper end. Theassemblies 89 may be held in place on the rods 84 and 88 by means ofpins a and b, passing through central bores in the sleeve 90 and link95, and having their ends received in recesses 88a in the rod 88.

The rolls in the apparatus illustrated may be readily removed andreplaced without taking the entire apparatus apart. When there is nocompressed air supplied to the cylinders 76, the columns tend to tiltand assume unusual angles. The other parts also tend to take up slackpositions, and the whole assembly appears rather loose-jointed. However,as soon as air is supplied to the cylinders 76, the edge-forming rolls65 are moved inwardly until they abut against the ends of the antibucklerolls 66 and the whole assembly takes up a more erect posture,substantially as shown in the drawings.

In order to remove the rolls for replacement, it is desirable to have nostrip in the apparatus. Each antibuckle roll 66 can be removed simply bypulling it lengthwise of the path of strip movement, away from itssupporting column 67. The spring units 89 allow the backup rolls 81 and85 to separate sufficiently so that the antibuckle roll may be removed.

After the antibuckle rolls are moved, then the edge-forming rolls areheld in place only by the spring detents 69b. The edge-forming rolls canthen be pushed inwardly toward the path of strip movement, and thespring detents will retract to allow the ends of the arbors 65c to pass.The spring detents 69b are not relied upon to hold the edge-formingrolls in place during operation, as the strip is then in position, andconstitute the principal means of performing that function Thus, it maybe seen that either the edge-forming rolls or the antibuckle rolls maybe readily removed for repair or replacement with rolls of a differentcontour. Different sets of antibuckle rolls 66 may be required forsubstantially ditTerent strip widths.

In the case of narrow strips, there may not be room enough between thecolumns 67 to accommodate the pneumatic cylinders 76. In that event, thepneumatic cylinder may be linked to rods such as rods 72 and 73,outboard of the column 67, rather than inboard. One of the cylindersshould then be placed at one side of the strip and the other at theopposite side. The general effect and operation would be the same.

While the apparatus shown has two pairs of edge-forming rolls 65 in theassembly '64, it could alternatively be built with only one pair ofopposed edge-forming rolls, or with any other convenient number of suchpairs.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for rolling strip metal, comprising:

a. a pair of edge-forming rolls adapted to engage opposite edges of amoving metal strip;

b. means for supporting said edge-forming rolls;

c. opposed upper and lower antibuckle rolls adapted to engage the flatsurfaces of the strip between the edge forming rolls, each saidantibuckle roll having projecting hubs at its ends;

(1. upper and lower sets of backup rolls, each set of backup rollsengaging the hubs of one antibuckle roll, said sets of backup rolls andthe opposed antibuckle rolls cooperating to retain the antibuckle rollsin place;

e. upper and lower rigid means supporting the respective sets of backuprolls, and in which the respective sets of backup rolls are journaled;

f. a stationary support;

g. means, including yieldable means, resting on said stationary supportand supporting said lower rigid means; and

h. means, including spring means, connecting said upper and lower rigidmeans, said spring means biasing said lower rigid means upwardly andsaid upper rigid means downwardly;

. said spring means and said yieldable means cooperating to bias saidrigid means toward one another and thereby to bias each set of backuprolls into engagement with its antibuckle rolls, and to bias the twoantibuckle rolls toward engagement with one another, said spring meansand said yieldable means being movable against their respective biasesto permit removal of either antibuckle roll, in the absence of a stripbetween the antibuckle rolls.

2. Apparatus for rolling strip metal, comprising:

a. a pair of edge-forming rolls adapted to engage opposite edges of amoving metal strip;

means for supporting said edge-forming rolls;

c. a pair of antibuckle rolls adapted to engage the flat surfaces of thestrip between the edge-forming rolls;

d. two sets of backup rolls, one for retaining each of the antibucklerolls in place;

e. spring means connecting the two sets of backup rolls, said springmeans being yieldable to permit removal of either antibuckle roll;

wherein the improvement comprises:

f. said supporting means including, for each edge-forming roll:

1. an arbor on which the edge-forming roll is rotatably mounted, saidarbor extending in both directions beyond the edge-forming roll;

2. support means for the arbor including:

i. a pair of beams, one at each of the arbor and extending transverselythereof, said beams having recesses on the side facing the antibucklerolls so that the arbor can be moved into and out of said recesses onlyfrom that direction; and

ii.'spring detent means in said recesses to hold said edge-forming rollsin place therein;

3. said antibuckle rolls being effective to hold the edgeforming rollsin place, so that after the antibuckle rolls are removed, theedge-forming rolls may be removed by compressing the spring detentmeans.

1. Apparatus for rolling strip metal, comprising: a. a pair ofedge-forming rolls adapted to engage opposite edges of a moving metalstrip; b. means for supporting said edge-forming rolls; c. opposed upperand lower antibuckle rolls adapted to engage the flat surfaces of thestrip between the edge forming rolls, each said antibuckle roll havingprojecting hubs at its ends; d. upper and lower sets of backup rolls,each set of backup rolls engaging the hubs of one antibuckle roll, saidsets of backup rolls and the opposed antibuckle rolls cooperating toretain the antibuckle rolls in place; e. upper and lower rigid meanssupporting the respective sets of backup rolls, and in which therespective sets of backup rolls are journaled; f. a stationary support;g. means, including yieldable means, resting on said stationary supportand supporting said lower rigid means; and h. means, including springmeans, connecting said upper and lower rigid means, said spring meansbiasing said lower rigid means upwardly and said upper rigid meansdownwardly; i. said spring means and said yieldable means cooperating tobias said rigid means toward one another and thereby to bias each set ofbackup rolls into engagement with its antibuckle rolls, and to bias thetwo antibuckle rolls toward engagement with one another, said springmeans and said yieldable means being movable against their respectivebiases to permit removal of either antibuckle roll, in the absence of astrip between the antibuckle rolls.
 2. Apparatus for rolling stripmetal, comprising: a. a pair of edge-forming rolls adapted to engageopposite edges of a moving metal strip; means for supporting saidedge-forming rolls; c. a pair of antibuckle rolls adapted to engage theflat surfaces of the strip between the edge-forming rolls; d. two setsof backup rolls, one for retaining each of the antibuckle rolls inplace; e. spring means connecting the two sets of backup rolls, saidspring means being yieldable to permit removal of either antibuckleroll; wherein the improvement comprises: f. said supporting meansincluding, for each edge-forming roll:
 2. support means for the arborincluding: i. a pair of beams, one at each of the arbor and extendingtransversely thereof, said beams having recesses on the side facing theantibuckle rolls so that the arbor can be moved into and out of saidrecesses only from that direction; and ii. spring detent means in saidrecesses to hold said edge-forming rolls in place therein;
 3. saidantibuckle rolls being effective to hold the edge-forming rolls inplace, so that after the antibuckle rolls are removed, the edge-formingrolls may be removed by compressing the spring detent means.